As Salamu Alikum and hello everyone!
“What is a habit? A habit is something a person does often in a regular and repeated way, and it tends to happen unconsciously.” I know I have some habits that aren’t exactly great. I wanted to find out how I could make some good habits (like washing my face daily with facial cleanser) and I found out some things that I never knew and wanted to share them with you all. I found some of this information from The Sassy Life and Wikipedia.
“What is a habit? A habit is something a person does often in a regular and repeated way, and it tends to happen unconsciously.” I know I have some habits that aren’t exactly great. I wanted to find out how I could make some good habits (like washing my face daily with facial cleanser) and I found out some things that I never knew and wanted to share them with you all. I found some of this information from The Sassy Life and Wikipedia.
Did you know that:
One that I can think of that is a common habit is brushing your teeth. I think that for most people, brushing your teeth is a habit that starts out at a young age, when your parents brushed them for you and then taught you how to do it for yourself when you were old enough. You either were taught to brush your teeth in the morning after you woke up and then right before you went to bed, or you were taught to brush after eating, whatever way, I think that is just something that some people wouldn’t even think it was an extra part to do of their day. Because it’s just so natural, you wouldn’t even think twice about it.
Some habits that my parent’s are trying to teach my brothers (and I) are:
That’s just to name a few. I have taught myself some habits, or I could have picked them up. For example I fold my clothes before I go take a shower. I don’t know why I do that. I moisturize my hair starting from the back on the right side. I always part it into four and each part gets parted again, so a total of 8 parts. I sort the dirty dishes: plates together, bowls, pots and pans, utensils, cups, and any other things, all on the counter on my right, since I am right handed. I am trying to make it a habit that I deep condition my hair every Friday, but so far, it hasn’t been going that well.
I have decided that I will not post on Tuesdays anymore, because I need more time to type and get ideas and edit and things like that. So inshallah, I will be posting on Wednesdays instead. I still want to post about food but I haven’t figured out how to get to that now, so Friday food posting will just have to be on hold. I know I’ve only posted on two Friday’s so far so I apologize for not keeping up to that.
Do you know how many habits you have? How many can you think of?
- Habits are easier to make than break. (howstuffworks)
- Repeating behavior helps form habits. The more often you repeat behavior, the stronger the habit you are forming. (howstuffworks)
- You can’t “think” your way into a new habit. You must take action. (Psychology Today)
- Habits are context-dependent and need a cue to be automatically triggered (ResolutionTweet)
- As you form your habit, you use less and less mental energy to do so since the habit is being automatically triggered, leaving more mental energy for other things. (NPR)
- You can learn a new habit at any age, any time.
- You have to undertake a new behavior if you want to change a current one. What often sets that new behavior in motion is a jolt of emotion.(Psychology Today)
- There are different ways for removing bad habits, e.g., withdrawal of reinforcers- identifying and removing factors that trigger and reinforce the habit. Recognizing and eliminating bad habits as soon as possible is advised.
- It becomes harder with age to get rid of a bad habit. That is because repitions reinforce habits cumulatively over the lifespan. Recognizing and eliminating bad habits as soon as possible is advised.
- According to Charles Duhigg, there is a loop that includes a cue, routine and reward for every habit. An example of a habit loop is TV program ends (cue), go to the fridge (routine), eat a snack (reward). The key to changing habits is to identify your cue and modify your routine and reward.
- The Common Myth: It takes 21 days to form a habit. NOT TRUE!! The old rule is a common myth. It has been said through various sources that the “21 Days Myth” has come from observation and not from actual clinical trials.
- Scientists at UCL actually said it takes 66 days on average to form a habit.(ResolutionTweet)
One that I can think of that is a common habit is brushing your teeth. I think that for most people, brushing your teeth is a habit that starts out at a young age, when your parents brushed them for you and then taught you how to do it for yourself when you were old enough. You either were taught to brush your teeth in the morning after you woke up and then right before you went to bed, or you were taught to brush after eating, whatever way, I think that is just something that some people wouldn’t even think it was an extra part to do of their day. Because it’s just so natural, you wouldn’t even think twice about it.
Some habits that my parent’s are trying to teach my brothers (and I) are:
- To wash your dishes after you’re done with them, to help the person who is on kitchen to not have a lot of dishes to wash.
- Make your bed
- Fold the laundry if that’s your chore, and just fold your clothes in general
- Don’t shuffle when you walk. I used to do that and I sometimes do, if my feet hurt. Though when I am at home I tend to walk on my tippy toes.
- Pick things up off the floor if it doesn’t belong there (like most things are) even if it doesn’t belong to you or you didn’t put it there.
That’s just to name a few. I have taught myself some habits, or I could have picked them up. For example I fold my clothes before I go take a shower. I don’t know why I do that. I moisturize my hair starting from the back on the right side. I always part it into four and each part gets parted again, so a total of 8 parts. I sort the dirty dishes: plates together, bowls, pots and pans, utensils, cups, and any other things, all on the counter on my right, since I am right handed. I am trying to make it a habit that I deep condition my hair every Friday, but so far, it hasn’t been going that well.
I have decided that I will not post on Tuesdays anymore, because I need more time to type and get ideas and edit and things like that. So inshallah, I will be posting on Wednesdays instead. I still want to post about food but I haven’t figured out how to get to that now, so Friday food posting will just have to be on hold. I know I’ve only posted on two Friday’s so far so I apologize for not keeping up to that.
Do you know how many habits you have? How many can you think of?